The Flow of Energy

Bio 30
NWRC
 Cellular Metabolism

Metabolic processes – all chemical reactions that occur

in the body

Two types of metabolic reactions

Anabolism Catabolism
• larger molecules • larger molecules are
are made from broken down into
smaller ones smaller ones
• requires energy • releases energy
•(endergonic) •-(exergonic)
 Energy for Metabolic
Reactions
Energy
• ability to do work or change something
• heat, light, sound, electricity, mechanical energy, chemical
energy
• changed from one form to another
• involved in all metabolic reactions

Release of chemical energy

• most metabolic processes depend on chemical energy
• breakdown of glucose generates chemical energy to promote
cellular metabolism
• cellular respiration releases chemical energy from molecules
and makes it available for cellular use
 Anabolism
Anabolism provides the materials needed for cellular
growth and repair – free energy is needed
Dehydration synthesis
• type of anabolic process
• used to make polysaccharides, triglycerides, and
proteins
• produces water
Anabolism-Endergonic reactions
Catabolism- exergonic reaction

Catabolism breaks down larger molecules into smaller ones

Releases free energy

• a catabolic process
• used to decompose carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins
• water is used to split the substances
Catabolism
Sources of free Energy
• Adenosine triphosphate
(ATP) is the unit of energy
used in all living cells. This
molecule is produced and
broken down in metabolic
processes in all living
systems.
• ATP can store and
transport the energy we
need to do just about
everything that we do.
Essentially all metabolic
functions of living cells
require energy for
operation and obtain it
directly from stored ATP.
Why Are the Phosphate Groups
Important?
• These molecules can
transport energy because
phosphate bonds contain
a lot of potential energy,
which is released when
they are broken.
• Energy is stored in the
covalent bonds between
phosphates, with the
greatest amount of
energy between the
second and third
phosphate groups
Note that although this is a good
picture there is no such word as
“alot”
Another View
 How Is ATP Actually Made?

• ATP is produced by
autotrophs during
photosynthesis, as
described, and is also
produced by both
autotrophs and
heterotrophs during a
catabolic process
known as cellular
respiration.
Where is ATP Made?

• In eukaryotic cells,
complex cells that
possess a nucleus,
ATP is synthesized in
the tiny energy
factories called
mitochondria. In
prokaryotes ATP
synthesis occurs in
the cytoplasm and
plasma membrane.
ATP- The Unit of Cellular energy
• Adenosine
Triphosphate
• each ATP molecule
has three parts:
– an adenine molecule
– a ribose molecule
– three phosphate
molecules in a chain
 ATP
• How it works
• ATP works by losing the
endmost phosphate
group when instructed to
do so by an enzyme.
This reaction releases a
lot of energy, which the
organism can then use to
build proteins, contact
muscles, etc. The
reaction product is
adenosine diphosphate
 ADP

When the organism is resting and energy is not

immediately needed, the reverse reaction takes
place and the phosphate group is reattached to
the molecule using energy obtained from food
or sunlight. Thus the ATP molecule acts as a
chemical 'battery', storing energy when it is not
needed, but able to release it instantly when
the organism requires it.
• When carbohydrates and other foods are
consumed by the body, they also contain
energy. When they are broken down, the energy
is released and, in many cases, the energy is
used to reattach the phosphate molecule to the
ADP, turning it back into ATP. Then the cycle of
bond-breaking and bond-making begins all over
again, alternately releasing and storing energy,
as needed. A convenient way to remember the
cycle is ATP = ADP + P + Energy
End of Section 1